(ThyBlackMan.com) Getting the best out of your team of employees is not easy. You need to remember that every one of your staff members is a person and they all have their own personalities. As a manager, you have a relationship with each and every employee, whether you realize it or not.
So, when it comes to getting the most out of your team there are some simple lessons that you need to apply.
In this article, we’ll talk about some of the management techniques that you could use to make your team more effective. Here are ten things that a great manager should be at all times.
- Be Consistent
In everything that you do, you should ensure that you are consistent. There should not be one rule for you and one rule for them. You should make sure that as a manager you live by the same set of rules as everyone else and that you adhere to them too.
Consistency means treating all of your team in the same way as each other. It can be hard not to favour some team members over others, however, you should ensure that you are always seen to be consistent in the way that you treat your entire team.
- Be Clear In Your Expectations
From the very outset, you should always be clear in what you expect of your team in terms of standards and productivity. If you require your team to work to a certain level, make sure that this is communicated. If you have certain policies and procedures such as the need for employer drug testing, then you should make it clear what these policies are so that your team all understand.
- Be Decisive
In business, you will need to make decisions often, and you need to be clear and decisive in the decisions that you make. There is no room for flakiness or uncertainty as this will cause your team to lack confidence in you as a leader.
- Be Honest
You should always be upfront with your team. Don’t try and pull the wool over their eyes and don’t hide the truth. Your team will always appreciate your honesty and they will have more respect for you as a manager if you tell the truth all of the time.
- Be The Example
When it comes to carrying out your own tasks, you should do this in a way that you would expect all of your team to do so too. If you want to get the best out of your team, you need to lead by example. This again means being consistent and following the rules and standards that you have set down for your team.
- Be Transparent
It is essential that you are transparent at all times. Let your team know what is going on in the business. If there are changes coming soon, then you need to make sure that your employees are aware of them at the earliest opportunity.
Involving your team in the coming changes in the business will allow them to feel some degree of ownership for their role and the company as a whole and will mean that they start to care more about the job and how the business performs.
- Be Open To New Ideas
You may be surprised to find that some of the best ideas come from your team members. They say that two heads are better than one, so why not allow your team to take part in brainstorming for your next project?
- Be Encouraging
Don’t be the kind of manager that only gives criticism. While it is important to give constructive feedback, it is also essential that you provide positive feedback often. Let your team know whenever they do something good.
- Be A Great Communicator
At all times you need to be communicating with your team. Make sure that you are clear and confident in your communication and that you check in to ensure that your message has been understood.
Communication is a two-way street though, and you should ensure that your team are able to communicate with you. Let your team know that they can always talk to you about anything.
- Be A Delegator
Delegation is important for any team. You need to understand your team’s strengths and make sure that you use them at any opportunity. Your team will perform better when they are using all of their skills.
Staff Writer; Peter Barker